[Distal arteritis of the legs: de-obstruction of the popliteal trifurcation].

Conventional arteriograms for critical leg and foot ischemia frequently do not opacify the popliteal artery and its branches of division. We have studied the patency of the popliteal artery on amputated limb and we have seen that in a great number of cases, it was possible to retrieve fresh clots from the popliteal artery in order to obtain a optimum outflow and to perform a femoro-popliteal bypass. Since the completion of this study, we systematically explore the popliteal artery surgically in case of critical leg and foot ischemia even in the cases where arteriogram failed to demonstrate a patent artery. This aggressive surgical management resulted in a 78.5% five year limb salvage rate.